Ford Pinto Recalls

The Ford Pinto has 7 recalls spanning the 1971-1979 production run, with the most serious being a 1979 model year defect where a missing or improperly installed clip can allow the brake master cylinder pushrod to separate from the brake pedal, resulting in complete brake failure.

The 1977 model year has a separate safety concern: incorrect nuts on the rear bumper's left isolator bracket can contact and puncture the fuel tank, creating a fuel leak risk. On 1976 models equipped with the 2.3-litre engine, two fuel-related issues exist: a fuel line-to-fuel-pump connection that can leak in a frontal impact beyond what the fuel system integrity standard permits, and a rubber hose between the fuel tube and carburetor filter that can leak and potentially cause an underhood fire. Also on 1976 models, rear seat cushion attachment brackets can separate from the seat frame due to weak spot welds, allowing the seat to come loose. The 1974 model year has a steering coupling flange that can be insufficiently clamped to the steering gear input shaft, leading to progressive looseness in the splines and eventual loss of steering control. Going back to the earliest production, 1971 two-door sedans and three-door models (station wagons not included) have a fuel filler pipe and seal arrangement that provided inadequate protection against fuel leakage in rear-end collisions.